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A 20-year-old Israeli soldier was lured and murdered by a young Palestinian man on Friday. The two worked together at a restaurant in the coastal town of Bat Yam.

For as-yet-unknown reasons, the victim, Tomer Hazan, decided to travel with his Palestinian co-worker, Nidal Amar, to the vicinity of the latter's hometown in western Samaria after work.

Upon arriving in the Palestinian Authority-controlled area, Amar attacked and murdered Hazan and then dumped his body in a pit.

Reports of a missing soldier had Israeli security forces scrambling late Friday night as they raced to prevent another abduction scenario like that of Gilad Shalit, who was held for years by Hamas-aligned terrorists in Gaza.

The Israeli army said it and other security agencies had prevented some 30 kidnappings in 2013 alone.

Just hours later, Hazan's body was found in a 22-foot deep well, and Amar was arrested. It is believed Amar intended to use Hazan's body as a bargaining chip to win the release of his brother, who is jailed by Israel for his involvement in past terrorist attacks.

On Sunday, hundreds of Israeli gathered outside the restaurant where Hazan and Amar worked to demonstrate against the continued granting of work permits to Palestinian Arabs who could have violent intentions against Israeli Jews.

Economics Minister Naftali Bennett seemed to agree when he noted that "twenty years after the Oslo Accords, our partner has not changed. …One does not make peace with terrorists who throw the bodies of soldiers into a pit. Rather, one fights them without mercy."

Finance Minister Yair Lapid called the murder "a terrible reminder that Israel deals daily with the murderous terrorism of beastly people. We must not leave the security of Israel to anyone but ourselves."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident "proves once agains that the fight against terrorism is constant."

Israeli media initially reported that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas had also condemned the murder, but Abbas' office later denied any such concession had been made.

Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said it was clear that this murder, like so many before it, was the natural result of "ongoing incitement by the Palestinian leadership." Danon added that it was time for Israel to consider annulling the failed Oslo Accords.

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